Gark's Eleder PBP overflow

Game Master Human


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The Explorer's Guild's footing has always been tenuous. Since their inception, they've faced an unending campaign of sabotage waged by the kingpin of Eleder, the Lady Madrona Daugustana. In this war, friends have been arrested, statues have been defaced, and doppelganger droppings have been discovered. For about a year, while the Guild's numbers were reduced by an expedition to the ancient tiered city of Kembe, it has limped along with a short staff. Finally, however, the expedition returned - along with a new "expedition" from Smuggler's Shiv. The Shiv Survivors quickly became friends with the Explorer's Guild, which partnered with the Pathfinder Society to outfit an expedition to the lost Azlanti city of Saventh-Yhi. But this upheaval in the city politics also meant Daugustana's agents could act without scrutiny, and they made their most overt attack yet upon the SS Skeleton. The Explorer's Guild repelled the invaders, but the leadership knows that Daugustana sent those goons.

Goons of other origin have also been operating in Eleder these past few weeks. Valbriklor Erstevalk, a smuggler who the Guild previously apprehended and tried to turn in, appeared on the SS Skeleton's gangplank on the 29th of Rova, bleeding from a burning, poisoned wound between his shoulder blades. In the little time he had before he expired, he warned the Guild of heavily armored folks with greataxes patrolling the streets, trying to arrest people like himself who were selling trinkets and religious totems. The Guild had nothing to heal him with, and he died just after delivering the information. They buried him in the unkempt Eleder Graveyard in Lower Harbor the next morning.

Based on what Valbriklor said, the Guild would have to track down one or more vigilantes who'd wear heavy armor and have a flaming sword. The Guild's leader, Nesica, got in touch with Baron Utilinus, who she knew from when he let her go free from prison, but his office knew of no one who could be that sort of vigilante. They also got in touch with the Baron's church of Iomedae, which said none of their priests would ever stoop to sneaking "justice" of that sort. The Guild then visited the headquarters of the mercenary company Ivory Cross, but the company had no records of a flaming sword being sold in the city. That left only one sound explanation: the Hellknight Order of the Coil, known for its use of flames and greataxes, must have reactivated. Which was strange, because its Citadel Krane burned down 20 years ago with most members presumably inside. The Guild's leadership elected to investigate by themselves, along with a recently hired wizard.

The team was composed of Nesica Basti, the guild's halfling sorcerer leader, Juno Joralan, a half-elf gunslinger and de facto second-in-command, and Adi Mombletripple, the gnome wizard hire. They hiked northeast up the coast, passing bed-and-breakfasts and villages before eventually leaving the road and heading up into the hills towards Citadel Krane. On the second day of travel, they came over a hilltop and saw a fight about to begin.

Half a dozen trolls were facing off against ten hobgoblins, several of which carried war-trained eagles on their gloved forearms. When the trolls suddenly noticed the explorers and turned around to attack, Nesica, Adi, and Juno let loose with their various explosive spells and weapons. The expedition felled trolls swiftly, but the other trolls also swiftly killed the hobgoblins and eagles. One hobgoblin was left standing, crossbow in hand, against two trolls, when suddenly a small green figure jumped out from behind a bush and shanked the hobgoblin in its calf - it was the long-lost Explorer's Guild goblin member, Gree. The hobgoblin collapsed, groaning, while the trolls attacked the new goblinoid. Fortunately, the other Guild members were able to scare off the last two trolls, but Gree was severely injured.

A wounded goblin ally is lying in a valley on the dusty trail from the Sargavan coast to Citadel Krane, surrounded by a pile of hobgoblin, eagle, and troll bodies. The sound of labored breathing comes from that pile. A blind eagle is making ever more erratic circles in the sky above. The rapidly receding footbeats of large humanoids is receding up the gulch to the northeast. And Juno, Adi, and Nesica are relatively unhurt.

Sunt and Ruch can have come on a separate expedition with Gree, if KC and Noah want to join in on this scene.


Juno moves toward the sound of the laboured breathing, and nudges aside a hobgoblin corpse to kneel down next to him, gingerly open its jaws, and pour a potion of cure light wounds down its throat.

PoCLW (1d8+1 = 2)

"Can we get a healer over here?" she calls out to the others.


As Juno approaches, she realizes that the labored breathing is coming not from the wounded Gree, but from the hobgoblin Gree shanked. This hobgoblin still grips her crossbow in one hand, but her face is white and slack, her eyes closed. One other hobgoblin's chest also slowly rises and falls, and a third is bleeding rapidly out of a severed arm.

Basically, who are you administering the potion to? Gree or one of the hobgoblins?


Juno is going to administer the potion to Gree, being a teammate, and then continue to urge her teammates to help. She only has one more potion of cure light wounds, and four people who need healing, and doesn't want to let Gree die if it can be helped.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica whispers a short arcane phrase it sounds a bit like 'crabapple' but with harder sounding consonants, and her wand of cure light wounds springs from her belt pouch.

"I'll see if I can help.'

She attempts to see if the bleeding hobgoblin can be saved first. Nesica will heal the hobgoblin Gree greeted with a Goblin Hello next.
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

There is a loud *bzzt* as positive energy is shot through the hobgoblin. Wounds stitch back together.

"That worked! Okay, onto the next."

Nesica will continue to administer Cure Light Wounds, so I'm going to just make some extra rolls to see if she succeeds/critical fails.

Spoiler:

Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Use Magic Device w/Wand of Cure Light Wounds (DC 20): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Wand seems a little congested...we might need stabilisation checks.


Gree awakens. Gree's at 2 hp, now.

The hobgoblin Gree Greeted groans even more loudly as her leg mends and the ashen "color" returns to her face. "Where are the rest of the trolls? - ah. Your healing is useful, halfling. You people wield strange powers." She pulls the next hobgoblin, whose crushed pelvis seems to have been put back in order by the wand's jolt, to their feet. And then watches Nesica prod the bleeding arm over and over to no avail. "I think Notloc's died, halfling."

Stabilizations:
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
The other hobgoblin looks at the wand, fear evident in his stance. He whispers something to the hobgoblin who still carries her crossbow.
For those who speak Goblin:
"Saarlan, it always ends badly to ally with magic users. You saw their powers as well as I."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 - 20 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 20 = 9 1d5 ⇒ 3

The blinded eagle swoops down towards the hobgoblins and those gathered around them. It seems to be flying towards the male hobgoblin - and then flies too far past him, careering into Gree. Flapping furiously, it finds a perch atop Gree's head.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica frowns, "I'm sorry we were too late. We're sort of a skeleton crew right now with half the guild on an expedition, so we don't have our usual...tough. We ended up having to take it slow, unlike our usual approach. Which is mostly sending the horrifying fleshshaper in first"

Nesica looks at the now awake Gree. She hasn't been seen since the trip to the halfling village. Nesica was even thinking about hiring someone to track Gree down, but then decided that it was probably fine. She still isn't sure if her worries were unfounded or not.

"I'm Nesica Basti. I run the Explorer's Guild. This is my co-leader, Juno, and my newest explorer and mechanic, Adi. Oh and...that's Gree...she's been missing for nearly a year, so I had no idea she would stumble out of the forest like that. I hope you don't mind if I ask why you were fighting so many trolls. Seems very dangerous, even for a group as large as you were. Also, why was Gree with you?"


"Yes," says Juno, turning to Gree. "Why are you here?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2


"The Horn-Nose tribe of trolls moved into the Bandu Hills about fifteen years ago, and have been a thorn in the side of our cities for many years. This patrol is - apologies, was - one of many that guard against such monsters. But we have never faced such a large group without a bombardier, so our losses were catastrophic." An emotion flickers across the hobgoblin's stoic face - regret, maybe. "We will drag their bodies to the nearest charnel ground. Your assistance in defeating the trolls has been noted. Your names have also been noted. Should you require assistance from Bandusiha hobgoblins again in the future, we will endeavor to save the lives of at least twenty percent of your Guild."

The other hobgoblin begins picking up his sword and crossbow. He speaks in Taldane this time, but seems to spit the words as if they are distasteful. "We do not know from whence the goblin came, but we can vouch that we have not witnessed it in our territories before. If the goblin is a friend of yours, you should look after it and see that it is tamed."

Gree looks up at the assembling group, then absentmindedly scratches Gree's head, sending the eagle toppling to the ground. Gree does respond to Juno's questioning, though. "I am here to eat."

I think the way the backstab worked, the hobgoblin who was still standing did not see Gree stab her, so thinks she was knocked out by a troll.


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"If you're here to eat, there's some crispy trolls right over there." Adi points over at the larger of the burnt corpses, in jest.

Adi then goes over to the defeated trolls and starts rifling through their belongings.

Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

Adi is highly distracted by the pungent odor of the corpse. "On second thought, Gree, maybe you should see if there's something better first. Maybe grab a snack out of one of our packs?"


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

"That's, um...really thoughtful of you. If you need assistance yourselves, we could always...see about a guild contract. Though we usually do things like recovering relics and artifacts. And occasionally search and rescue as well, such as kidnappings and locating lost adventurers. Those guys really do get themselves stuck in the most precarious places.

As for the other hobgoblins mention of Gree...

"Um, well, Gree is a free spirit...in the most literal sense possible." Nesica sort of shuffles on the spot a bit, "I don't think we could get her to be civil even if we tried. Not that we would force her to do anything she didn't want to do."

Nesica leans in a bit, "She ate someone's hand once. It was already dismembered and looked kinda rotted but..."


"We're trying to housebreak Gree," Juno assures the hobgoblin who seems to take exception to Gree. "But the trolls seem like a problem that will not go away. We're on a job right now, but if you need some help in the future...solving the problem, then we're based on the Eleder docks. Just look for the slightly singed ship, you can't miss it."

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica's going to attempt her own Diplomacy check by just taking 10 and getting a Diplomacy: 10 + 12 = 22. She's probably talked to the hobgoblins long enough.


Adi finds that two of the trolls carried large belt pouches full of assorted gems, coins, and colored vials. The pouches together weigh a total of 16 pounds.

DC 20 Appraise re: gems/precious metals:
You quickly assess the non-potion contents of the bags. The most valuable items in the pouches are a chunk of amber worth 100 gp, a zircon worth 45 gp, a jasper worth 50 gp, and a piece of brilliant pink coral worth 50 gp. Assorted hematites, lapis lazulis, and sards (among others) are worth a total of 163 gp. About a week of work and a successful Craft (jewelry) check would allow you to increase the value of some unworked hematites and other gems in the mix.

The coins are mostly in Sargavan currency, though some very dinged-up coins look millennia old. They are worth a total of 542.15 gp.

Failure by 5 or less:
You will need to spend a day counting up all the coins and gems to get an accurate figure. You may still be off by as much as 10%.
Failure by 5 or more:
You can't identify anything besides an agate in the mix of gems. You think most of these coins have been watered down with brass and iron, making them almost worthless. When you get back to town, you can either pay a trustworthy expert to evaluate the worth of your finds (taking a DC 15 Knowledge (nobility) check and a 20% cut) or gamble that your estimates are correct (taking 3 days to visit various shops and losing between 10-50% of the actual worth to unscrupulous merchants).
Detect magic and DC 16 Spellcraft, or DC 16 Perception:
Among the jewels and money, there are potions of:
  • ant haul
  • bless weapon (actually an oil)
  • cure light wounds
  • endure elementsx2
  • magic stone
  • pass without tracex2
  • protection from chaos
  • reduce person
  • remove fear
  • arcane mark
  • guidance
  • purify food and drinkx2
Most of the potions are quite small, which makes it seem unlikely that the trolls personally made them.
Apart from the pouches, the trolls only wore ragged skins as clothing. You do find the shattered remnants of several glass vials in the mouths of some of the burnt troll corpses, though.

The hobgoblins give Juno the cold shoulder, but the one with the crossbow nods to Nesica's offer of support. "Thank you, halfling. I do not know if our people need or will accept your help, but I will see what the Huvudum says. You can count Saarlan of the Bandusiha as a friend."

The male has been wrinkling his nose at Adi's suggestions, and wrinkles his nose again at Nesica's explanation of Gree's behavior. He nudges the other hobgoblin and kicks his foot towards the corpse pile, indicating that he wants to get started. They sheathe their weapons and grab a body by the arms and legs, beginning to carry it uphill to the west. The eagle, having now regained its sight, follows overhead.

After you've looted the trolls, do you want to continue on? It is about two hours to noon at this point, and getting hotter.


Adi casts Detect magic.
Taking ten...Spellcraft: 10 + 10 = 20

Appraise: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Continuing on sounds good to me! Adi, however, is going to wait for Nesica to suggest moving on, as relaxing in the shade is more comfortable.


Adi can't immediately tell how much the coins and gems are worth, and she doesn't identify several of the stranger-looking rocks. She'll need to spend a full day to get an accurate estimate of their worth.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica waves goodbye as she helps Adi put the troll's belongings into her bag for Whimsy to carry. "We might want to find somewhere to camp. Probably somewhere secluded. Sounds like there are trolls about."

Nesica also hands Gree some of her molthuni sausage. She brought a bit extra, since she knew she'd miss at least one meal today and would have to make up for it in the evening.


You can find a good rest site with a DC 19 Survival check, which will grant a +2 bonus on any Fortitude saves against heat for the next 24 hours. A decent site can be found without having to roll, and will protect you from heat typical for the Bandu Hills wet season.

Whimsy pants and drools a little as it sees the sausages being exchanged. It wags its tail.

Going to hold off on NPCing Gree until tomorrow, again.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Probably should have Juno take care of that. Nesica will provide an aid!

Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 14


Juno pats whimsy as she joins the group.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

She uses her experience being raised by a jungle ranger to see about setting up a suitable rest site.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20


Juno is a little unused to the scrubby chaparral ecosystem of the Bandu Hills, but she finds a good shelter with surprising ease. Following the week-old tracks of a large clawed bird of some kind, she finds a small stream coming out of an overhanging cliff. Following the stream into a crevice, she discovers a small atrium with a tiny shaft of sunlight shining down from a hole several meters above. The sunlight gleams in a pool with smooth yellow stones at the bottom. Around the pool are scattered some less beautiful objects - three skeletons, all with a similar amount of putrescent sinews, skin, and hair. Two of the skeletons are wearing suits of fine banded mail, and a third has a similarly well-made spear and chain shirt, along with a rotting satchel of some sort.

2x masterwork banded mail, masterwork spear, masterwork chain shirt, and a satchel with unknown contents.

The walls of the cave, which are of an angular white rock, are carved with images and text of some sort, but it's hard to make out their meaning - they seem to have been eroded by water.

You can make Linguistics checks (Juno can do so untrained) to decipher the text, and Craft (paintings or sculptures) checks to decipher the images.

There are no other exits to the cave besides the pinprick of light up top, which does not seem to appreciably heat the cool clean air.


At the battle site:

Gree takes a few sniffs of the troll meat, turns up Gree's nose, and eats the sausages instead. Gree says, "See ya!" and sprints off into the bushes again. Though you call for Gree, you are unable to find even a bit of goblin blood to lead you to your friend.


Wrinkling her nose at the withered husks that were once people, she nudges the satchel at of the grip of one of the skeletons and examines its contents.

Appraise: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

She offers the satchel to one of her compatriots in case they can better understand what she's looking at.

"My pack is a bit full, but we might want to take some of the armour and the spear. At the least, it would be useful to sell in town later. Also, don't touch the water just yet. It might be poisoned or spoiled."

She gives the rock a look.

Linguistics: 1d20 ⇒ 5


Juno pauses, and then reconsiders. "Actually..."

She works the chain shirt off the third corpse, and then shrugs off her leather armour and tosses her buckler aside, replacing it with the heavier stuff.

If nobody objects, this'll do for me. If anybody wants the leather armour and the buckler, they're welcome to it.

(Sorry, it only occurred to me after I'd posted that ditching the buckler and swapping out the leather actually leaves me in a better position, AC-wise, and no worse skill check-wise.)


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

"Well, I suppose we loot the dead as a business nowadays..." Nesica uses detect magic on the bag, then aids.

Appraise Aid@Bag: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Nesica also has a solution for the cave writing. She pulls out her scroll of comprehend languages and begins the ritual chanting of the spell before finishing with a flourish as the scroll goes up in glittery fire. Nesica's eyes glow with comprehension. Literally.


"You want to ask if they're gonna need it? Be my guest." Juno retorts, patting the chainmail shirt and blowing a bit of dust that's probably dessicated flesh out from the metal rings. She makes a mental note to shower when they get to the next town.


Juno thinks that the satchel itself is worthless. However, she does notice the Symbol of the Open Road in faded embroidery on the bag's flap.

Inside the satchel are eleven scrolls and a small thread-bound chapbook missing many pages. The scrolls are incomprehensible to Juno, but the chapbook is written in a Taldane shorthand. From what Juno can understand around the mold splotches and water damage, the author was a Pathfinder named Baetvith Housynn, recording her search for the legendary Barkskin Lake somewhere in the Bandu Hills. She did not find the lake, but she did find an ancient tomb (apparently belonging to a church of a deity called Isithi) and take its contents for study. At this point, the chapbook changes handwriting. Someone named Kimkim writes that on 7 Rova, 4709 AR - a little more than a year ago - the expedition to the Church of Isithi was returning with all its documents and notes when it was waylaid by a group of axe-wielding warriors in heavy armor. Housynn was killed, and Kimkim and two others fled off the path and found this cave. The chapbook has no more entries after that.

The bag's contents, the eleven scrolls, detect as magic when Nesica investigates.

Nesica's glowing eyes allow her to read portions of the carvings, though she can't use context to figure out the missing words, nor does she know what the images depict.

The most complete fragment:
The soul __ the rock __ eternal,
Unchanging.
__ moves mountains with its ______
But itself remains unending,
Ordered.
The _______ the sky is __________
________
________ by existing,
___ it joins ___ revels,
Smiling.
___ soul __ the waters __ vivified,
Sweet.
It divides and purifies,
So we can ____ in between,
Mediated.
Give thanks to the _________ the waters,
Respect the powers of the rock,
Rejoice in the powers of the sky.
In general, it seems that the carvings refer to some sort of pantheon of deities who were worshiped in this space. Most of the writing is in a poetic form similar to that of the largest fragment, and few of it deals in concrete proper names.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica begins to write down what she can gather from the wall poems onto the now freshly clean scroll paper. She also uses read magic on the scrolls from the pouch.

Listening to Juno, Nesica frowns. "Axe-wielding warriors...in heavy armor...sounds like hellknights to me. Certainly seems like they've been busy."

Nesica, asking politely for the journal, slips it into her extradimensional pouch and considers the bodies.

"We might want to inform the local Pathfinder Society that we found some of their agents. That said, this ancient tomb sounds interesting. We might want to have a look at that after we've investigated the keep. Might be good for the guild, you know? See if the Pathfinders want to send an agent along. You know, for the sake of discovery and all that."

Nesica winks at her compatriots.


Nesica manages to fill the scroll up about halfway before the spell wears off.

She identifies the scrolls as follows:

  • Scroll of Bestow Weapon Proficiency (Sell for 75 gp)
  • Scroll of Cause Fear (Sell for 12.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Detect Undead (Sell for 12.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Divine Favor (Sell for 12.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Hypnotism (Sell for 12.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Inflict moderate wounds (Sell for 75 gp)
  • Scroll of Prestidigitation (Sell for 6.25 gp)
  • Scroll of Protection From Law (Sell for 12.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Remove blindness/deafness (Sell for 187.5 gp)
  • Scroll of Silence (Sell for 75 gp)
  • Scroll of Stone Fist (Sell for 12.5 gp)

Is there anything else you want to do while you're resting?


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nah, besides setting up a brief watch rotation of about an hour and a half each while we sleep.


The party rests for about 5 hours, avoiding the worst heat of the day, and then returns to the scraggly old wagon track leading to the Citadel. Coming to a hill that overlooks the dale where the fight happened, no one can see any hobgoblin bodies remaining - but there are eagles and vultures circling off to the west. It is still warm and clear, but the setting sun does little to add to the ambient heat.

Mark off one day of trail rations (and one day of dog feed), or make Survival checks to find enough food. (-10 penalty for moving at regular overland speed.)

The party hikes between towering acacia bushes, squat and thorny succulents, and groves of spindly trees bursting with leaves. The waxing moon allows the party to hike for a long time with only Nesica having trouble seeing, and they only camp when clouds coming in from the west obscure the light.

The next morning, Sunday 3 Lamashan, has one of the most beautiful sunrises the Guild has ever seen, with deep mottled purple all the way to the ocean horizon and brilliant yellows and golds on the clouds as the sun slowly crests the dusty hills. The clouds begin to rain just as the party is packing up camp. Nesica, Juno, and Adi hike for the full day, finding that it actually gets almost chilly up in the hills when it's raining. The party sees some strange sights along the way - a cairn of human skulls weeping rainwater like a fountain, a damp multicolored feather as long as Nesica is tall, and a boab tree which is covered in brown frogs that jolt to croaking life as soon as you approach. But they meet no people on the trail, and no monsters or animals try to harass them. Whimsy barks at some brush rabbits. The worst hassle is finding a nighttime shelter from the rain.

And go ahead and mark off another day of rations+feed. Feel free to interact with anything along the way. You expect to reach Citadel Krane the next day.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica will grab the multicoloured feather. Hopefully, it dries out. She passes a magical breeze over the feather (breeze) to hopefully dry it out once the group has found a nice shelter.


The feather is adequately dried by her spell. Nesica thinks the feather is the result of a spontaneous confluence of the Elemental Plane of Air and some sort of nature spirit in the specific spot where she found it, and that it would be worth the equivalent of 7 pounds of cloves in Eleder's Barter Markets.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica is also aiding on Juno's survival check for food.

SurvivalAid: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Nesica's pretty preoccupied with her enjoyment of the weather to really help with hunting and gathering. She did find some lovely flowers in a sheltered treeline but otherwise was pretty unhelpful.


Juno peers at the cairn of skulls, but decides she's really not interested in provoking whatever creatures or spirits may inhabit it for possible treasure, especially after listening to the tale told by the decaying journal. Even if it's not related, she doesn't want to push their luck with things. She might suggest looking in on it on the way back, but she's not in the mood for Weird Shit right now.

After Nesica picks up the feather, drying it and packing it away, she tries very hard to ignore the tree frogs and sets to work finding a good site for a camp and enough shelter. She begins to wish she'd bought a tent, or at the least a hammock.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18


Adi casts Detect Magic on the skull-cairn, suspecting there might be something odd.

Adi attempts to help Juno find some food. Survival aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

The rest of the day, she admires the feather Nesica picked up and makes small talk.

"So Juno, what do you like to do for fun?"


Juno look up from studying the bush, at Adi who is very enthusiastic about helping but getting more underfoot than anything. She raises a sceptical eyebrow.

"Fun? This is it. There's the job, and doing it well. Anything else is just an indulgence."


aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15 aid: 1d20 ⇒ 12 juno: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Unfortunately, Juno can't find any food or clean water without slowing down a bit to make longer hunting excursions away from her surprisingly noisy and counterproductive companions.

That -10 penalty would mean you're unable to find any food along the way. You can either slow down (causing the group to make only 3/4 of a day's progress, but providing food for all party members not including Whimsy) or just eat/drink from your stores for these two days, Juno.

Adi examines the skull pile, and determines that the rivulets running down its sides are just a consequence of the way the "pile" was engineered - rain is funneled to a central interior basin which then empties into three channels that then send water out to the cascading skulls. She sees some strange shrimp-like creatures swimming about in the pools.

That evening, Juno manages to find another cave - really just an overhanging rock face that acts as a wall and ceiling - for the group to hole up in. Nothing attacks during the night, and the party is able to continue without issue the morning of Moonday 4 Lamashan despite the worsening rain. At this point, the party can see the hill - more accurately a mountain - on which their destination sits. Krane Hill looms slightly larger than the surrounding peaks, and its top seems to have no vegetation other than hundreds of gray, leafless trees.


Juno has three days of elven trail rations left, but suggests |B]"We should start catching food to conserve our supplies. We will, after all, need to make a return trip."[/B]

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16


That also isn't high enough to provide food and do a full day's travel at the same time (so pick one or the other). If you don't do the full day's travel this day, then you'll arrive at the Citadel sometime in the morning tomorrow - or you could do a forced march and make a couple Constitution checks in order to arrive late tonight.


Juno recommmends that "We should foxus on getting there in one piece for now, rather than as fast as possible. If we quick-march we can get there late tonight and hungry, but tomorrow morning and decently fed might be a better objective to aim for. Some of you may need to refresh your magics."


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica nods, 'It's been fairly calm today, so no. But I see your point. Let's go find some shelter and plan our approach for the morning.'


Juno takes the time to scrounge up food in the unforgiving terrain. She shoots down one of those brush bunnies which Whimsy was so interested in, and leads the party to a native orange tree near camp. She shows how to cut the end off the tough, fibrous oranges and quickly squeeze out the juice and fruit into a cup, rather than peeling the whole thing and trying to bite into it. The fruit and breakfast rabbit serve as simple if nourishing food throughout the day.

Juno provides enough food for the whole party, including Whimsy, today.

The day is surprisingly warm and incredibly humid. The sun beats down on the party and the rain-dampened soil for most of the morning and early afternoon. Whimsy pants a lot. All the while, one of the intense wet season thunderstorms creeps towards the party from over the ocean. It passes over about 2 pm, but barely sprinkles. Lightning sets a distant wooden pillar or watchtower of some sort alight, but does not strike near the party.

The day counts as severe heat, meaning 16 Fortitude saves to avoid taking nonlethal damage for anyone not protected by endure elements or similar magic. Anyone wearing armor takes a -4 penalty on these saves. Juno gains a +2 bonus on the saves from being versed in wilderness Survival, or a +4 bonus if she remains stationary.

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 1d100 ⇒ 86 1d100 ⇒ 36 1d100 ⇒ 38


Saves:
Fortitude: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 121d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 171d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 111d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 211d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 151d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 181d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 81d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 221d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 221d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 201d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 181d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 131d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Adi is having a very bad time of it.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Nesica, seeing that the weather is getting bad, passes a cool breeze over herself (breeze), renewing this every hour.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 2 = 19Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 = 16Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 = 24Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 2 = 12Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 2 = 17Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 2 = 13Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 = 27Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 2 = 19Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8

Looks like it's time to pull out the wand of cure light wounds...

6 failures.


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Remembering the lessons of her father for dealing with extreme heat, Juno remains motionless, almost in a meditative state. She isn't really - inside, she's fuming that the weather picked RIGHT NOW to turn bad, and that neither of the magic wielders seem to have protection from the elements - but outside, she appears perfectly tranquil.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 9
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 10
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 16
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 12
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 15
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 21
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 16
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 8
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 20
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 8
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 20
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 25
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 23
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 9
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 9
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 + 4 = 20


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

As a side note, Nesica is using the potion of endure elements on Whimsy


1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12 1d20 ⇒ 17 16d4 ⇒ (3, 4, 2, 4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 2) = 48 Adi takes 40 nonlethal damage, Nesica takes 22 nonlethal damage, and Juno takes 46 nonlethal damage. Remember that the DC increases by 1 with each new save, GTW.

Adi is indeed bad off, but Juno simply cooks in her leather armor. Only Nesica's wand keeps the two of them from collapsing, and Nesica herself is only slightly better off with her spell and her own preventative measures. Even the wet season in the Bandu Hills can be dangerously hot.

Whimsy, after having some rabbit brain marinaded in potion, seems perfectly fine despite its thick white coat. It goes around licking people's faces, which doesn't help and really only gets fur stuck to them.

After about eight hours, the party realizes that an imperceptible (except to Nesica) pressure that had been building in the air has now begun to dissipate. It is still incredibly hot, but it no longer feels like a malignant weather deity is trying to kill the party.

Basically, it's now only "very hot," so only 12 saves over the next 12 hours. Same bonuses/penalties apply & depends on if you travel or not.


Perception +2 Init +2 Active Buffs: none Stats: HP 30/34 AC 14 F-F 11 Touch 13 CMD 14 Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +7 Spell Slots 1st 7/7; 2nd 6/6; 3rd 4/4

Ah, right, the escalating DC's. Right, Nesica's going to alternate between people as they fall unconscious from nonlethal for doubling up on healing both the lethal and nonlethal damage. Um...hope nobody minds going unconscious for a bit. I think we can make reasonable distance still today but we should be careful as we go along.

Spoiler:

UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
UMD@WoCLW: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

CLW@Adi: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 CLW@Adi: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7CLW@Adi: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3CLW@Adi: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW@Nesica: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6CLW@Nesica: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6CLW@Nesica: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8CLW@Nesica: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW@Juno: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8CLW@Juno: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5CLW@Juno: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2CLW@Juno: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

These are being alternated between Adi, Nesica and Juno. Nesica doesn't end up taking any lethal so it's straight from her nonlethal, but everyone else should tell me their maximum hit points so that we can double up healing lethal and nonlethal.


Juno thinks they're better off staying tight and resting off the heat.

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